The Mute's Promise
by harudha558
Summary: Harley has moved to New York City after a traumatizing event with her family. Meeting the turtles was the best thing to happen to her in a while. Especially the red masked hot head. Can Raph help her get over her past or will their future bring too much pain for the duo to handle?


Warning: This is my first story so I could use a lot of advice on it. I apologize beforehand if I butch this!

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles. I only own my own characters!

Chapter 1

"Harley get down here! We're leaving soon and you know we have a tight schedule."

Turning away from the window of her old bedroom Harley slowing walked down to her parents waiting by the door. Smiling weakly at them she walked out the door. After getting into the car she watched as her childhood home slowly faded behind her. Sighing silently she turned back around and saw her mother watching her worriedly.

"Honey are you sure you're OK with the move to New York? I know it's a bit sudden but I feel this move would be good for us. Away from all the rumors and drama. Plus we'll be closer to Scranton when you graduate."

_I know Mom but I'm still sad. Everything I know is here and we're going so far away. It's scary but I can do this. The one thing I'm not sure about is public school. What if everyone makes fun of me? It's hard enough finding friends when you're shy, but mute too….._

"Don't worry about that Harley; you won't be the only teenager there with a disability. It doesn't affect your learning so you will be fine. You'll make a bunch of friends and have fun. We just need to get you away from all this and what happened. I just-", her mother started to choke on tears, "I can't handle being here anymore and your father agreed."

Harley smiled softly and nodded to her mother but she could still see the sadness in her daughter's eyes. Turning to her husband she looked to him for advice about helping their daughter.

"Just leave her alone. She always finds a way to make things better for herself and others around her. Give her time; she has more to forget about this place then any of us."

Nodding she turned back to face the windshield. Harley, overhearing their whispered conversation put in headphones to drown out any other conversation about her. **I'm still here you know. I'm mute not deaf**, she thought to herself. Settling down she got ready for the long drive ahead.

-Later that night-

Four shadows ran across the rooftops. Flipping through the air it was a surprise no one saw them. But when moving as swift as they were if they did catch an eye they were gone before a double take could be given. Listening for any sound of a disturbance other than the usual New York sounds they suddenly stopped.

"Dude what are we eating for dinner tonight? I'm so hungry I could eat one of the Krang."

"Mikey! Shut 'ur trap. We're on patrol. I want a fight and any thieves 'round would have run by now with you yellin'."

"Well not to make you mad Raph but you're the one yelling right now…"

"Oh up yours Donny!"

"Will you all quiet down? Let's just make on more round and then we can get some food for Mikey and we'll head towards Purple Dragon territory for Raph, ok?"

The others nodded and away they went. Keeping an eye out for crimes the mutant turtles made their rounds one more time. Hearing a yell they stopped and ran towards the alley.

"Just give us the bag, lady, and we won't rough you up too much."

"There's nowhere to go babe so just hand it over."

"Hey! What the hell?"

Hearing a thud they slowed and crept towards the alley. During the whole conversation they only heard the thieves talking. Nothing from the victim which was strange…

"You're gonna' regret that lady!"

Jumping into the alley the turtles pulled out their weapons as the Purple Dragons turned towards them.

"Not you guys! Can't you see we're a little busy here" the leader of the group said gesturing behind him.

"Yeah we know, but you won't be busy for long" Raph grinned and twirled his sais around his fingers.

The Purple Dragon started to answer but suddenly stiffened and fell to the ground. Revealed from the space the man use to be standing was the girl the Dragons were trying to rob. Looking surprised she clutched the still swinging bag tighter in her hand. She looked almost too small to swing the bat hard enough to take anyone out.

Curly hair pulled back in a loose, messy bun, the brown locks were slowly falling out of the tie. Her glasses were slowly creeping down her nose, and her breath was coming out fast. Just wearing a loose sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, her scarf wound tightly around her neck.

Looking at the turtles she gasped but no sound came out. Snapped out of it the remaining gang members pulled their weapons and started to fight the turtles. The girl slowly took steps away from the fight until her back met with the wall. Her gaze darting between the turtles and the weapons her focus suddenly stopped at the man looking at her. Pulling out a knife he suddenly threw it at her.

Freezing she watched the knife fly through the air towards her she waited to feel the blade hit her but it never came. Hearing a grunt and a few swear words the flash of green in front of her became the shape of one of the mutant turtles. Pulling the blade out of his arm he growled at her.

"Go hide behind them boxes before ya get hurt."

Running to the boxes she watched him jump back into the fight. In no time at all the turtles had the gang members running off with their leader. Walking out from behind the boxes she walked towards them. They turned to her and they stared at each other until the one who saved her suddenly weaved and fell against the wall.

"Raph man, are you okay?" the one in orange asked.

"Yeah, yeah Mikey never better" Raph replied trying to get off the wall only to fall against it again.

"No you're not Raph. I need to get you home so we can take a look at the wound."

Without them noticing the girl walked up to Raph and touched his arm. Jumping he turned towards her with wide eyes. Smiling up at him she took a closer look at his arm. The wound was deep and needed to stop bleeding for a better look.

"Hey lady what do you think you're doing." Raph exclaimed still shocked that she stuck around. They always ran away after they caught a glimpse of the turtles.

Not answering the girl looked for something to stop the bleeding.

"Hey, you gonna' answer me?" Raph was becoming annoyed with being ignored by the girl. **Why won't she answer me? And where did everyone else go? **Looking around he saw his brothers a little ways away talking to each other silently obviously not thinking the girl was a threat, but judging by the way they kept looking over to them they were talking about what to do with her.

Looking down at her scarf she hesitated then looked up at Raph. Her chocolate eyes seemed to beg and warn about something before she closed them. Then slowly unwrapping her scarf from her neck, she pulled it away. Raph cursed loudly which caused his brothers to come to his side, and, seeing what he saw- gasped.

The girl's neck was littered with scars. Some faded and others pale pink of healed skin. The deepest one was in the middle and was the dark color of healing skin. It looked surgical. Ignoring the stares she wrapped her scarf around Raph's wound and pulled it tight. He cursed slightly, still distracted by her neck.

"It's a wonder if you can even talk with all those cuts" the one called Mikey whispered, followed by three yells of Mikey and a hit to the back if the head. Looking down at the ground the girl moved her hands in a sort of dance to which the boys didn't understand.

"What are you doing?" the one in blue asked confused.

"She's using sign language, a way of communication for deaf and mute people. She's mute before you ask Mikey. I studied it a bit before so I can translate for you I'm sure" the purple one answered.

_My name is Harley. What are yours? _The purple one translated.

"I'm Donatello but you can call me Donnie. The one in the blue is Leo. Mikey is the one with the orange and Raph is red."

_Nice to me you. If you want I can stitch you up. I just got back from my nursing internship and still have my stuff._

Raph glared at her, "Sorry lady but that's way too convenient for my tastes. As it is you should be runnin' not trying to help us."

Harley took a few steps back and whimpered silently. Pain and fear flashed across her face and Raph felt a twinge in his chest at the sight. He didn't need to look at his brothers to see that they were upset with him. Sighing, Raph walked over to Harley and without a word held his arm out to her.

Harley looked up at the mutant turtle in front of her and stared him in the eyes. Giving him a weak smile she held up a finger and walked to the boxes where she hid. Reaching behind them she grabbed her bag and what looked to be a medical kit. Running back over to the turtle Harley looked around the alleyway. Seeming distressed Harley put the medical kit under her arm and started to communicate with Donnie.

Donnie nodded and started to make the same gestures towards her. The conversation went on for a minute before Donnie remembered that his brothers couldn't understand.

"Oh, sorry guys. She doesn't want to work in the alleyway with all the bacteria and germs. We were discussing where to go for her to work on Raph's arm. We can't go to her house because her parents are home."

"So where are we gonna go, cause this arm is killin' me."

"Why don't we just take her to the lair bros?"

"No Mikey, that's too dangerous! She could work for the Foot for all we know. Plus I don't think that Master Splinter would be too happy if we brought a human girl home."

"Come on Fearless, just this once. We can get her in and out within ten minutes. Splinter doesn't even have to know."

"Yeah we can even blindfold her. Hey we can use my mask- what then she would know who I am!"

"Mikey, she already knows, plus it's obvious that you're a giant mutant turtle…"

"A mutant **NINJA** turtle."

"**Shut up Mikey!"**

Harley watched their conversation with poorly hidden mirth. The mutants seemed around her age though it was almost impossible to tell other than the way they talked. They did look like ninjas with the weapons and gear. At first when she touched Raph she thought it was just guys in suits, but when she felt the muscles flex under her hands she came to realize the truth. They were real. Impossible, but real.

Finally tuning back to their conversation it seemed to have come to a conclusion. Taking out some fabric the one called Leo walked towards me with a determined face on.

"Sorry Harley but until we get to where we need to go, you have to wear this as a blindfold."

Heart beating faster, Harley took a few steps away from Leo. The turtle frowning made to move towards her. Breathing heavier Harley moved further back and tripped against the dumpster. Leo stopped moving and sighed in frustration. Turning towards his brothers he shrugged.

"Anyone else want to try?"

"Yeah."

Looking up Harley noticed Raph coming towards her. Standing still she waited until he was right in front of her before looking into his eyes. Staring into the bright green eyes, Harley felt her shoulders relax and her heart slow. Everything seemed to go away expect for the two of them. Bringing up his hand Harley could see the cloth.

"You put this on. Not me, not my brothers, you. When you're ready we can go but hurry up cause my arm's gonna fall off."

Harley smiled up at the rough turtle and grabbed the cloth. She looked back up to see that Raph had turned towards his brothers with what seemed like a smirk. Looking back down at the cloth, Harley took a breath and a leap of fate. Putting the cloth around her eyes, she held out a hand. She was ready.

What she didn't know was that everything was going to be different now.


End file.
